1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wavelength calibration module and technique, and particularly to an absolute wavelength calibration module containing one or more materials having optical transitions at known wavelengths for detecting such transitions when a narrowed emission band of an excimer or molecular fluorine laser interacts with the materials of the module.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Excimer lasers emitting pulsed UV-radiation are becoming increasingly important instruments in specialized material processing. The KrF-excimer laser emitting around 248 nm and the ArF-excimer laser emitting around 193 nm are rapidly becoming the light sources of choice for photolithographic processing of integrated circuit devices (IC""s). The F2-laser is also being developed for such usage and emits light around 157 nm.
It is important for their respective applications to the field of sub-quarter micron silicon processing that each of the above laser systems become capable of emitting a narrow spectral band around a very precisely determined and finely adjustable absolute wavelength. Techniques for reducing bandwidths by special resonator designs to less than 100 pm, and in some cases to less than 0.6 pm, are well known. Techniques are also available for tuning and controlling central wavelengths of emission. However, most of these techniques do not accurately determine absolute wavelengths and only serve to relatively tune and control wavelengths. Moreover, even relative wavelength changes cannot be as precisely determined as is desired, using these techniques.
It is possible to roughly determine an absolute wavelength or a change in wavelength from a reference wavelength as a spectral band is tuned, when particular incremental settings of a spectrograph are calibrated to correspond to absolute wavelengths in conventional units, e.g., in nanometers. However, conventional techniques do not provide very precise absolute wavelength and incremental wavelength change information at any time. This is because a conventional spectrograph often must undergo a laborious conventional calibration technique. Moreover, optical drift and other optical, thermal and electronic phenomena produce uncertainty and imprecision at all times following the calibration procedure, including during operation of the system. Further, wavelength calibration is usually done externally to the operating beam path of the system using high resolution spectrographs in combination with spectral reference tools for wavelength calibration, e.g., spectral lamps emitting particular narrow lines. Therefore, very precise and temporally advantageous absolute wavelength determination and fine tuning methods are needed.
Specifically, it is desired to have absolute wavelength calibration techniques for UV-emitting excimer and molecular lasers having accuracies within a range of xc2x10.05 pm, while having tuning versatility comprising wavelength ranges from xc2x15 pm to greater than xc2x1100 pm depending on properties of available illumination tools for IC production. There are available techniques for accurately determining absolute wavelength for narrow band KrF and ArF-excimer laser emissions using narrow spectral absorption lines of certain elements to calibrate a high resolution spectrometer. Among these available techniques, atomic transition(s) of iron (Fe) at 248.327 and/or 248.4185 nm are used to detect absorption signals either by reduced optical transmission or using the opto-galvanic effect. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,354 to Znotins et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,207 to Fomenkov; F. Babin et al., Opt. Lett., v. 12, p. 486 (1987); See also R. B. Green et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., v. 29, p. 727 (1976) (describing galvanic detection of optical absorptions in a gas discharge for various gases including lithium (Li), sodium (Na), uranium (U) and barium (Ba)).
Babin et al. discloses using the opto-galvanic effect to determine the KrF-laser absolute emission wavelength. A galvatron having an anode and a cathode is set in the optical path of the laser beam. An Fe vapor fills the galvatron. A voltage is monitored between the cathode and anode. The emission wavelength of the laser is narrowed and tuned through a range around 248 nm. When the wavelength of the beam impinging the Fe-vapor filled gas volume between the cathode and the anode corresponds to an atomic transition of Fe, a resonance between the levels causes a marked change in voltage between the anode and cathode. Since the absorption lines of Fe are well known and consistent, the absolute wavelength of the narrowed laser emission band is determinable.
Znotins et al. and Fomenkov each disclose using a photodetector to detect the intensity of light emitted from a KrF-laser. Znotins et al. discloses to use a gas cell having benzene vapor inside. Fomenkov discloses to use a galvatron having an Fe cathode inside. The cathode of Fomenkov gives off Fe vapor which fills the galvatron when a current is generated between the cathode and an associated anode. Light emitted from the KrF-laser traverses the gaseous benzene or iron medium of the galvatron before impinging the photodetector. When the wavelength corresponds to an atomic transition of the gas medium of the galvatron, the gas absorbs the light, and the intensity of light detected is reduced. Thus, the absolute wavelength of emission of the KrF-laser is also determinable in this alternative way.
The opto-galvanic effect described by Babin et al. and acknowledged by Fomenkov permits a very precise and reliable determination of an absolute emission wavelength of a KrF-excimer laser system. See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,243 to Lokai et al. A known technique uses sealed hollow cathode lamps containing Fe-vapor in a Ne-buffer gas environment. See Hammamatsu Datasheet: Opto-Galvanic Sensor, Galvatron L 2783 Series, November 1989, Japan. Thus, the Fe-lamp has become an important and reliable measuring tool for absolute wavelength calibration for KrF-lithography laser systems in the 248 nm spectral region.
Advantageous techniques have also been described for performing wavelength calibration for the ArF laser emitting around 193.3 nm. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,160,832 describes the use of an opto-galvanic or photoabsorption cell containing a species that makes an optical transition within the broadband tuning spectrum of the ArF laser around 193.3 nm, and particularly describing a cell filled with platinum vapor.
Reference laser lines have also been used for absolute wavelength calibration (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,218,421, 6,160,831 and 5,373,515, which are hereby incorporated by reference). A Fabry-Peron etalon has been described for use with relative wavelength calibration, i.e., for determining the precise wavelength of a laser beam that is shifted away from one of the reference optical transmission lines (see the patent documents mentioned above and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,025,445, 5,420,877, which are hereby incorporated by reference).
In summary, wavelength calibration using a gas-filled cell having one or more optical transition lines around the laser line, e.g., 248 nm for the KrF laser or 193 nm for the ArF laser, and using the opto-galvanic effect or a photodetector, have been described previously at U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,160,832, 4,905,243, 5,450,207, 4,926,428, 5,978,394, and 5,978,391, which are hereby incorporated by reference, and reference laser lines have been used. It is desired to have a very accurate apparatus and method for performing absolute wavelength calibration for an excimer or molecular fluorine laser, and particularly for the next generation ArF and F2 lasers. In addition, it is desired to have an absolute wavelength calibration system for precision determination of the free spectral range (FSR) of a monitor Fabry-Perot etalon and for precise determination of a tunable grating scanning constant.
A tunable laser system is provided including a gain medium, an optical resonator for generating a laser beam, and a spectral narrowing and tuning unit. A detection and control unit monitors a relative wavelength of the laser system. A wavelength calibration module calibrates the detection and control unit. The module contains more than one species each having an optical transition line within the tuning spectrum of the laser. A beam portion of the narrowed emission from the laser is directed through the wavelength calibration module and a beam portion is directed through the detection and control unit when the laser beam is scanned through the optical transition line of each of the species within the module. The detection and control unit is monitored and calibrated during the scanning.
A tunable laser system is further provided including a gain medium, an optical resonator for generating a laser beam, and a spectral narrowing and tuning unit. A wavelength calibration module contains multiple species each having an optical transition line within the tuning range of the laser. A beam portion of the narrowed emission from said laser is directed through the wavelength calibration module when the laser beam is scanned through the optical transition line of each of the multiple species. The spectral narrowing and tuning unit is monitored and calibrated in tuning steps.
A tunable laser system is further provided including a gain medium, an optical resonator for generating a laser beam, and a spectral narrowing and tuning unit. A detection and control unit monitors a relative wavelength of the laser beam. A wavelength calibration module for calibrating the detection and control unit contains at least one species having an optical transition line within the tuning range of the laser and a buffer gas, preferably of krypton, and alternatively of neon, xenon or helium. A beam portion of the narrowed emission from the laser is directed through the wavelength calibration module and a beam portion is directed through the detection and control unit when the laser beam is scanned through the optical transition line of the at least one species and said detection and control unit is monitored for calibrating the detection and control unit.
A method is provided for calibrating a wavelength detection and control unit of a tunable laser system having a wavelength calibration module containing multiple species each having an optical transition line within the tunable range of the laser. The method includes generating a line-narrowed laser beam and directing a narrowed beam portion through the wavelength calibration module. A narrowed beam portion is further directed through the detection and control unit. The laser beam is scanned through the optical transition line of each of the multiple species, and the detection and control unit is monitored during the scanning for calibrating the detection and control unit.
A method is further provided for calibrating a wavelength detection and control unit of a tunable laser system having a wavelength calibration module containing multiple species each having an optical transition line within the tunable range of said laser. The method includes generating a line-narrowed laser beam and directing a narrowed beam portion through the wavelength calibration module. The laser beam is scanned through the optical transition line of each of the multiple species. The spectral narrowing and tuning unit is monitored during the scanning for calibrating tuning steps of the spectral narrowing and tuning unit.
A method is further provided for calibrating a wavelength detection and control unit of a tunable laser system having a wavelength calibration module containing at least one species having an optical transition line within the tunable range of the laser, a spectral narrowing and tuning unit, and a wavelength detection and control unit. The method includes pressurizing the wavelength calibration module with a buffer gas sufficient to produce marking lines within a tuning range of the laser system and generating a line-narrowed laser beam. A narrowed beam portion is directed through the wavelength calibration module. A narrowed beam portion is directed through the detection and control unit. The laser beam is scanned through the optical transition line of the at least one species. The detection and control unit is monitored during the scanning for calibrating the detection and control unit.
A method is further provided for calibrating a wavelength detection and control unit of a tunable laser system having a wavelength calibration module containing at least one species having an optical transition line within the tuning range of the laser, and a spectral narrowing and tuning unit. The method includes pressurizing the wavelength calibration module with a buffer gas sufficient to produce marking lines within a tuning spectrum of the laser system and generating a line-narrowed laser beam. A narrowed beam portion is directed through the wavelength calibration module. The laser beam is scanned through the optical transition line of the at least one species. The spectral narrowing and tuning unit is monitored during the scanning for calibrating tuning steps of the spectral narrowing and tuning unit.